As climate challenges and wildfires increasingly threaten communities across the Western United States, the need for high-performance, resilient building practices has never been more critical. Passive house design offers a proven framework for creating energy-efficient buildings that are also more durable, comfortable, and adaptable to extreme conditions.
In this session, an architect, a builder, and a manufacturer's sustainable solutions manager will present how to scale passive house strategies from individual homes to broader, larger project applications. Join us to explore the core principles of passive house design—and how these strategies are particularly valuable in wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones.
Learning Objectives
- Review the fundamental principles of passive house design, including the five core components (continuous insulation, airtight construction, high-performance windows, thermal bridge-free design, and heat-recovery ventilation).
- Examine practical considerations and construction techniques for implementing passive house strategies at different scales, from single-family homes to multi-unit developments.
- Discover the synergies between passive-house design principles and fire-resilient construction in WUI zones, including the role of noncombustible continuous insulation, air-sealing strategies, and assembly design in creating buildings.
- Evaluate material-selection strategies for passive house assemblies that simultaneously meet energy performance targets and fire-safety requirements.